Parent Poll

Parenting Introduction

You are your teen’s most important influence!

You may feel like your teen is tuning you out but, the truth is, they’re listening more than you think! In fact, parents have been shown to have an important and growing influence when it comes to teens’ use of alcohol and otherdrugs.

Parents’ have significant influence on substance use decisions among their children.

When it comes to alcohol and other drug use, having a teen who talks to you can make a world of difference. How can you make the most of your influence? Research has shown that parents who are warm, understanding and open to negotiating fair limits are most likely to raise socially competent, responsible adolescents.

It makes sense! Teens who feel they can talk to their parents are more likely to share important information about where they’re going, what they’re doing and who they’re with. As a parent, having this information helps you to supervise your teen effectively and decrease the risk that they’ll develop problems with alcohol and other drugs. When you keep the lines of communication open, you’ll also have more opportunities to guide your teen and share important information with them.

You need information about alcohol and other drugs based on evidence, not hype.

It can be hard to separate fact from fiction when it comes to alcohol and other drugs. That’s why we’ve designed this action pack. It will give you up-to-date, research-based information that will allow you to help your teen make better decisions about using alcohol or other drugs when they’re out in the world on their own.

This action pack will help you to:

understand how teenagers think,

get the facts about alcohol and other drugs, and

prepare yourself to have meaningful conversations with your teen.

Click here for strategies for helping your teen make good decisions about alcohol and other drugs.